3 studs, 2 duds from the Mavericks' exciting opening win over the Spurs

In a very exciting season opener in which Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson made their trio debuts, the Dallas Mavericks defeated the San Antonio Spurs by a score of 120-109.

In the first half of the game, the Mavericks got off to a very slow start from the field, but what was most impressive was their team defense with Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama finished the game with 17 points and shot 5-18 from the field.

With the Mavericks' win tonight, they start the season with a 1-0 record and are tied for first place in the Western Conference.

They had a lot of positives to take away from this game, and Dallas' big three led the way.

Since Luka Doncic missed almost all of training camp and the entire preseason, it was expected that he would be a bit rusty.

Doncic started the first half with just nine points, shooting a mediocre 4-for-14 from the field while also missing all five of his three-point attempts.

However, at the start of the second half, he flipped the switch. Doncic did everything. From behind-the-head passes to behind-the-back 3-pointers to an absurd amount of assists for Thompson, he showcased all of his talents.

Jason Kidd has emphasized in the past that Doncic also needs to put in more work defensively.

What stood out throughout the game was his defensive mentality. Doncic protected the rim, directed the ball into passing lanes and showed a lot of effort.

It's clear that the connection between Luka and Klay is very legitimate, as Doncic was seen turning around several times before Thompson's three-pointers hit the net.

Doncic finished the game with 28 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and shot 9-25 from the field.